A-10 Thunderbolt II
The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). It is the first USAF aircraft designed exclusively for close air support (CAS). Its official name comes from the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, a fighter that was particularly effective at the CAS mission. However, it is more commonly known by its nickname “Warthog” or just “Hog”. The common story behind the aircraft’s nickname is that it was due to the A-10’s lack of aesthetic appeal, slow speed and thick skin. The protrusion of the GAU-8 cannon’s muzzle along with the blunt nose resembles a hog’s snout or boar’s tusk, and the report of the gun is low and growling, all serving to make the A-10 reminiscent of a warthog.
The Warthog’s primary mission is to provide CAS of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets, and also to provide a limited air interdiction role. As a secondary mission, it provides airborne forward air control, guiding other aircraft against ground targets. In the USAF inventory, the airframe is designated OA-10 when used primarily in a forward air control role.
The A-10 saw combat for the first time during the Gulf War in 1991, destroying more than 1,000 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 military vehicles, and 1,200 artillery pieces. Warthogs also shot down two Iraqi helicopters with the GAU-8 gun. Seven A-10s were shot down during the war. However, they had a mission capable rate of 95.7%, flew 8,100 sorties, and launched 90% of the AGM-65 Maverick missiles fired in the conflict. The aircraft saw service again in the 1999 Kosovo War, in the later stages of the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan in March 2002, and in the 2003 Iraq war. According to Iraqi POWs, the single most recognizable and feared aircraft at low altitude was the Warthog. It was seen as deadly accurate, rarely missing its target.
The Warthog is scheduled to stay in service with the USAF until 2028 and possibly later, when it may be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II. The entire A-10 fleet is currently undergoing upgrades.
Specifications
Wing span: 57 ft 6 in (17.42 m)
Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.16 m)
Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.42 m)
Weight: 29,000 lbs (13,154 kg)
Maximum takeoff weight: 51,000 lbs (22,950 kg)
Fuel capacity: 11,000 lbs (7,257 kg)
Payload: 16,000 lbs (7,257 kg)
Speed: 420 mph (Mach 0.56)
Range: 800 miles (695 nautical miles)
Ceiling: 45,000 ft (13,636 m)
Power plant: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans
Thrust: 9,065 lbs each engine
Armament: One 30 mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun; up to 16,000 lbs (7,200 kg) of mixed ordnance on eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations, including 500 pound (225 kg) Mk-82 and 2,000 lbs (900 kg) Mk-84 series low/high drag bombs, incendiary cluster bombs, combined effects munitions, mine dispensing munitions, AGM-65 Maverick missiles and laser-guided/electro-optically guided bombs; infrared countermeasure flares; electronic countermeasure chaff; jammer pods; 2.75-inch (6.99 cm) rockets; illumination flares and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
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